1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric composite connector including a ferrule and an electric contact terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a connector such as an optical connector, an electric connector or a photoelectric composite connector, there is a so-called multicore connector in which an electric contact terminal'and a ferrule or two or more sets of electric contact terminals and ferrules are disposed in one housing. As to the photoelectric composite connector which is one of such multicore connectors, electric contact terminals and ferrules are mixedly arranged in the housing, respectively.
According to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H07-335306, a disclosed photoelectric composite connector includes a first fitting member in which ferrules and electric contact terminals are projected in a fitting direction, a second fitting member to be fitted into the first fitting member, a connector shell including partition walls dividing the ferrules and electric contact terminals into at least two groups, and a shutter disposed on a fitting side of this connector shell, the shutter having shutter holes allowing the ferrules and electric contact terminals to pass through the shutter. Here, in the first and second fitting members, one member from which the ferrules and the electric contact terminals are projected is a plug, and the other member is a receptacle.
The ferrules and the electric contact terminals are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction of the plug. Furthermore, during non-fitting into the receptacle, the shutter closes the fitting side of each space where the ferrules or the electric contact terminals of each group divided by the partition walls are arranged, but during fitting into the receptacle, the shutter can open the fitting side of each space so as to allow the ferrules or the electric contact terminals of each group to come in contact with corresponding contact holes.
In a conventional technology, the plug is provided with the partition walls disposed between ferrules and electric contact terminals in a circumferential direction, and the shutter disposed on the fitting side. Consequently, during non-fitting, the shutter closes, so that foreign materials (wear powder) generated by sliding of constitutional elements such as the electric contact terminals, the ferrules and first and second fitting members are prevented from mutually entering into regions where the ferrules and the electric contact terminals are disposed.
However, in the disclosed photoelectric composite connector, the ferrules and the electric contact terminals are alternately disposed and separated by the partition walls, and hence there is a tendency that the ferrules and the electric contact terminals are disposed on an outer side in a radial direction and a diameter of the connector enlarges. Furthermore, the ferrules and the electric contact terminals are alternately arranged in the form of a circle around a longitudinal axis, and hence a distance between each electric contact terminal and each ferrule is reduced, thereby shortening a distance along which the foreign materials generated from the electric contact terminals move. In consequence, for example, in a case where the shutter and a connector shell are removed, there is the possibility that the foreign materials adhere to the ferrules to deteriorate an optical coupling efficiency and/or damage end faces of the ferrules.